Landlords ‘play important role in housing industry’

Landlords play a vital role in the UK housing industry, it has been suggested.

Ian Potter, operations manager for the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla), said that it is therefore of great importance that they are given access to mortgage finance.

This is true of landlords with all portfolio sizes, he added.

Mr Potter's comments came in the wake of the publication of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) paper on mortgage regulation.

Dubbed Mortgage Lending, the document details a number of ways in which the home loan market can be regulated further.

"The FSA appears to recognise the critical role that the buy-to-let market has to play in supporting the UK's housing needs in the years to come,"the Arla representative explained, before adding that one area that needs more control is that of risk assessment.

Earlier this week, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said it was keen to work alongside the FSA as the organisation refines the mortgage system.